Consequences

Chapter 14 - Rancor

"We must speak with Jabba," Luke informs him as we walk.

The Twi'lek replies in Huttese as he shakes his head in denial. Luke comes to a stop, instantly making me pause and glance back at him.

"You will take me to Jabba now!" I can sense the Force-suggestion behind the words. It seems this is the only way we'll be able to get through to the Hutt.

"I will take you to Jabba now," the Twi'lek repeats. Good thing we can use mind tricks on these people so well. I know from experience it can sometimes be far more complicated, like trying to sneak around in a Separatist detention block and having to convince the guards over and over to let everyone past, or on Mandalore when the guards were resistant to it and I didn't realize until too late.

The Twi'lek starts forward at the command, and we follow his lead. "You serve your master well," Luke says, "And you will be rewarded."

Moments later, we find ourselves in Jabba's throne room. Everyone inside is asleep and Leia is lying nearby. She's dressed in a very different outfit from what she came here in – actually pretty much nothing at all – and is chained to the Hutt. Anger flairs through me. It's when I see this that I realize why Anakin despised them so much. And to think he was once a slave to these creatures... Threepio is standing next to Jabba in the place the original protocol droid was when I came here last time. At least everything is in place, ready for our plan.

"Master," calls the Twi'lek and continues speaking to Jabba quietly in Huttese.

"I told you not to allow them," the Hutt responds angrily upon waking and catching sight of us.

"We must be allowed to speak," Luke interjects with a Force-suggestion.

"They must be allowed to speak."

Clearly, Jabba realizes what's happening and shoves the Twi'lek away angrily growling something that I take to mean, "You weak-minded fool! He's using an old Jedi mind trick."

Both of us stare at him in silence. We'll do this as we already discussed. Try to do things the easy way, but if that doesn't work, we fight. "You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookiee to us," I command after a moment. No point making this take longer than necessary.

"Your mind powers will not work on me, girl," the Hutt replies disgustedly.

"Nevertheless, we're taking Captain Solo and his friends," I retort, eyes narrowing. Yes, we're going out through a fight.

"You can either profit by this, or be destroyed," Luke states confidently, "It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers." Right on cue, danger ripples through the Force just as Jabba starts laughing.

"Master Luke, you're standing on –" Threepio begins to warn, but is cut off when the Hutt starts talking again. Clearly, he can't remember that I'm the one who saved his son years ago. What gratitude. Maybe he already forgot, it's hard to say. Although this is twenty years later, so he wouldn't be expecting me to look the same.

"There will be no bargain, Jedi. I shall enjoy watching you die." Oh, I'm sure you would, except that we aren't going to be dying.

My eyes narrow farther, and I take in a deep breath, preparing for the fight sure to come. "I see you have forgotten me so quickly," I murmur darkly. Luke reaches out, using the Force to grab a blaster from a nearby guard, while I do the same a bit more subtly. The two blasters from the nearest guards fly to our hands. This may not be my preferred weapon, but it's the only choice. The guards grab for their weapons just as the floor gives way beneath us and we fall through, taking the guard nearest us along.

We fall many feet down before landing inside a dungeon-like cave deep below the main part of the palace. I, having expected the fall, manage to land gracefully on my feet while both Luke and the guard fall to the floor. On the bright side, I'm still holding my blaster.